The much-maligned World Baseball Classic has been blamed for every injury suffered since by any of its participants.

Yes, the Mets had the most players in the WBC, and their roster has been decimated by injuries. But am I supposed to believe getting hit in the head by a Matt Cain fastball in August has anything to do with David Wright playing for Team USA in March?

Despite the handicap of playing in the WBC, Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela) and Derek Jeter (Team USA) will finish in the top three for American League Most Valuable Player -- if one of them doesn't win it over Joe Mauer (who wasn't on the U.S. roster).

That's Cabrera on the right, before he put on his Detroit Tigers uniform.

Those two aren't the only two WBC players to have survived the injury bug and thrive. It's nearly impossible to even cut it to a 25-man roster, even excluding Wright, who is back from his concusssion and doing well except for not hitting home runs.

Among those left out: longtime fixtures Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, plus ex-Angels Mark Teixeira, Francisco Rodriguez, and reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia. I have no problems with any of those omissions, with Teixeira being the toughest call.

The first base position on both squads leaves out three players who would be All-Stars if they played somewhere else.

Romero, 24, is competing with Brad Mills and Scott Richmond for the two final spots in Manager Cito Gaston's rotation. Romero even drew praise Sunday from Astros catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

Romero, from East Los Angeles, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the sixth overall pick of the first round in the 2005 draft. He was one pick ahead of Long Beach State shortstop Troy Tulowitzki of Colorado, and one after Milwaukee slugger Ryan Braun. Injuries in 2005 and 2007 slowed Romero's progress.